


Growing Pains

by starkilling



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Catboy Keith (Voltron), Comfort No Hurt, Galra Keith (Voltron), Galra Puberty, Keith (Voltron) is a Mess, M/M, a light sprinkling of angst, keith with cat-like qualities
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-25
Updated: 2020-09-25
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:28:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26639572
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starkilling/pseuds/starkilling
Summary: “Youarepurring,” Shiro says in wonder, and there’s no ounce of mocking in his voice, only adoration. He resorts to the only reasoning he can find. “Galra thing?”Half-heartedly, Keith shrugs and tucks his head into Shiro’s chest. “Maybe.”Sheith Prompt Party 2020 (Prompt 92): Keith goes through a Galra hormonal period, resulting in a lot of chaotic cat-like behaviors that disrupts their peaceful home life.
Relationships: Keith/Shiro (Voltron)
Comments: 42
Kudos: 258
Collections: Sheith Prompt Party 2020





	Growing Pains

**Author's Note:**

> Here's my Sheith Prompt Party 2020 piece! I had so much fun putting it together, doing Keith with cat/Galra-like tendencies is one of my weak spots so this was so an amazing experience.
> 
> Big thanks to the mods for putting this event together and bearing with me when I was doing a thiccly freak out! And thanks to the person who came up w/ the prompt!

It’s a routine day at the Garrison base when Shiro finally notices that there is something… off about Keith. Normally following diplomatic meetings Keith is drained, anti-social, and about ready to dig himself into the nearest hole. His social battery already runs so empty, so it’s no surprise to anyone that Keith is the first to retreat to somewhere on the Atlas where he’s most likely to be left alone for a few hours. Shiro is an exception to this of course, being his lover. Any time with Shiro is also included under alone time, because Shiro knows to be a safe presence without overstimulating Keith when he needs peace and quiet. 

Except this time, Keith is anything but peace and quiet. He’s pacing around their room at an inhuman speed, arms crossed tightly over his chest and back straighter than a toothpick. He’s exhibiting every bit of his sharp Galran genes without looking the part, Shiro can tell. Energy practically radiates off of him in tense waves that even make Shiro question his safety. Still though he stands and crosses the room to approach Keith, laying a hand on his shoulder. 

“Baby, are you okay? You haven’t been able to sit down since the meeting ended, and I know you like quiet time.” 

Keith freezes and turns toward Shiro, and it’s then that Shiro notices that Keith’s pupils are so dilated that they practically swallow up his violet irises. He blinks a few times, purposefully slowly, as his shoulders begin to sag and release tension. Keith reaches up and covers his hand over Shiro’s, shaking his head. “Dunno. Feel weird. Too much energy.” His words are pointedly short and almost unsure as he says them in broken sentences. 

But the concern is lost in Shiro’s mind because moments later he’s able to beckon Keith back towards the couch, settling him down and running his fingers through his hair. He gathers Keith in his arms, laying him back against his chest. Like this Keith is cocooned in Shiro’s arms, a cage of warmth and safety that calms his nerves and urges the stress to melt out of him like flowing candle wax. Keith closes his eyes and steadies his breathing, and then it starts.

Something deep in his chest vibrates in a rhythmic rumble, bubbling up through his neck and past his lips through each breath. Shiro seems to notice it the same time Keith does, tilting his chin down to look at Keith with a raised eyebrow, jaw locked like he isn’t believing what he’s hearing. “Keith are you… purring? That’s purring, right?”  
  
“Um,” Keith immediately says incredulously, because the noise hasn’t stopped and he has no explanation for it other than _yes_ , he is definitely purring but he doesn’t know why or how. Instead of directly answering Shiro’s question, he shrugs, “This has never happened before.” They share a moment of brief silence to weigh the situation, before Shiro ultimately makes the first move as if he wants to confirm what he’s hearing. 

Gently, a hand reaches down just beneath Keith jaw where it connects below his ear and scritches, nails digging just lightly into sensitive skin. It’s almost instantly rewarded with a reaction. Goosebumps break out in waves across Keith’s arms and legs; the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. His body responds for him by leaning into the touch and slowly, the vibrations grow in volume until he sounds like a truck engine. It actually feels, dare Keith say, _good_. The only way to describe himself in this moment is perfectly docile, yielding to Shiro’s gentle touches. 

“You _are_ purring,” Shiro says in wonder, and there’s no ounce of mocking in his voice, only adoration. He resorts to the only reasoning he can find. “Galra thing?”  
  
Half-heartedly, Keith shrugs and tucks his head into Shiro’s chest. “Maybe.”  
  
Shiro kisses the mop of Keith’s hair, nosing into it and letting the rumbles roll across his own body. “I like it. I like everything about you.”

It’s relieving to know but much to Keith’s chagrin, it’s not the end of the weird changes.

//

In fact, it’s the very beginning. If purring and being so full of energy that he can’t stop moving are slightly abnormal, Keith can’t even begin to describe his shock when he wakes up the next morning and sees purple splotches lining his arms, legs, and stomach. It’s purple like Kolivan’s fur, like _Galran_ fur. Keith sits up all the way and rubs the sleep from his eyes, blinking furiously to rule out him seeing things in a sleep-induced haze. But even as his vision clears and the scene before him becomes more sharper, so do the purple marks. 

“I noticed them during the night,” comes Shiro’s voice from next to him. Keith nearly jumps from his own skin, but manages to recover himself before losing it. Shiro is rolled over, gazing at Keith with his lips quirked up in a sleepy grin. “I think they’re cute.” He doesn’t even give Keith the chance to get insecure about them, showering him and his little marks with compliments and love. Shiro takes Keith’s wrist and presses it to his lips, right over one of the spots. Keith flushes, fangs digging into his lips. “ _You’re_ cute, baby.”

Then Keith trills. Fucking _trills_ . It’s a little chirrup that builds in his throat and comes out high-pitched and breathy, a rapid vibration over his tongue. He’s instantly slapping a hand over his mouth, horrified at the noise he just made. He hates that he immediately recognizes it for what it is. He’s heard other Blades make the noises at each other before when they’re together. It’s an inviting noise that encourages affection and attention. And Shiro being Shiro, he’s giving Keith _plenty_. His biology just wants more.

A beat passes between them, Shiro’s hand frozen where it’s hovering over Keith’s hip. Shiro’s eyes catch Keith’s, his eyebrows raised curiously, before he finally speaks. “Did I say something wrong?” 

_Stars_ , bless him and his gentle heart. There’s a reason why it was so easy for Keith to fall in love with him. 

Keith’s flush hasn’t died down a bit, but he shakes his head slowly and much like last night he finds himself burying his face in his husband’s chest. “No, um…” For a moment Keith trails off, unsure of how to explain himself out of this one. But he realizes in the same second that he doesn’t have to, because Shiro will love him no matter how he looks or what sound he makes. “No. It’s a good sound. Means I like when you say nice things and pay attention to me.”  
  
There’s a huff of a chuckle, and a hand strokes over the surface of his inky hair. The edges of Keith’s vision begin to turn grey and heavy and he sighs, feeling himself turn to steadily flowing lava under the touch. “Well that’s easy to do. I could pay attention to you every second of the day, sunbeam.” Shiro’s chest rumbles with a second laugh after he says this. This time, Keith doesn’t bother to hold back the trill that comes tumbling out in a chime. If Shiro loves it, he won’t hide it.

//

Except not hiding these changes comes with a _lot_ of commentary, especially (and unsurprisingly) from Lance. It puts him on edge. His fellow Paladin picks up on the splotches instantly the next time he sees Keith, raising an eyebrow. “Dude, are you okay?” His voice wavers and he stops short of being right in front of Keith, like getting any closer would get him infected with some non-existent disease. “You look… different. Do you have the Galra flu or something?”  
  
“ _Lance,”_ Keith chides, temper dangerously short. “Can it. I’m just going through a… moment. I’m not sure what it is yet. Just feels different and looks kind of different.”

With a snort, Lance shrugs. “Out of context it sounds like you’re describing puberty. Are you sure you’re not a late bloomer since you’re only a halfie?” He completely disregards Keith’s red-faced fury and the way his entire back straightens; slaps an arm on his shoulder for good measure, patting his teammate. “Don’t worry, Keith. We won’t judge you for it.”  
  
While yesterday Keith was crumbling under affection and touch, having anyone’s hand but his own on him right now _repulses_ him. His lips curl down and he bares his fangs, sharp canines poking past his lips while his pupils shrink to near-slits. “Lance, shut the _fuck_ up.” Keith doesn’t notice the set of feet approaching behind him as he backs away, shrugging Lance’s arm off of his shoulder. “It’s probably a Galra thing but I don’t want to worry about it, and I’m _not_ going through puberty.” Seconds later he’s backing into a massive wall of a person and agitated by it, he turns on the ball of his foot and hisses directly in the man’s face.

In Shiro’s face.

Keith’s own expression crumples instantly when he sees his husband’s widened eyes, almost like he’s seen a ghost. But before Keith has the opportunity to apologize, Shiro’s gaze flicks up to Lance. His lips flatten into a line and his eyes narrow. “Ahem,” he says, voice firm. Lance’s attention tears away from Keith as he looks up. His eyebrows raise in question as Shiro continues. “Thank you for keeping Keith company while I was in a meeting. I think I’ve got it from here, okay?” While Lance’s touch is completely unwelcome, feeling an arm protectively wrap around him sets Keith at ease. He sinks into the embrace like he’s drowning under the swell of a heavy wave, paying no mind to the other Paladin scurrying away without looking back.

Shiro is understanding enough to let Keith have a few beats of peace before expecting him to say anything. Eventually, he does. “Sorry for hissing at you,” he murmurs, shoulders slumping. His chin is tucked down, head hanging low, the longer parts of his bangs curtaining his face. “I’m just frustrated about everything that’s going on. On edge. You would understand and love me no matter what but everyone else is acting weird. Like I’ve grown a third eye.”

“Shh, baby,” Shiro says as he pulls Keith closer. “It’s okay. I didn’t mean to sneak up behind you two, I only heard your voice rising from down the hall and wanted to be here quickly no matter what. I’m sorry Lance made it weird. I’m sure he means well.”

“I know he does. I just—I feel insecure.” 

A hand begins to pet down his back and Keith can do nothing to stop the purrs that begin to vibrate in his abdomen, the rhythmic noise filling the empty space between them both. Shiro huffs out a little chuckle and Keith ducks his head, pursing his lips. These things are impossible to hide now that Shiro has complimented them. It takes everything Keith has not to start trilling at every waking moment, because it’s all he wants to do when he sees Shiro. He doesn’t get to look away for long; a thumb slips under his chin and lifts it, coaxing Keith into looking into Shiro’s eyes. He searches through them for a second, feeling reassured when all he comes back with is the feeling of being _wanted_.

“Every part of you is beautiful, even the weird Galra parts. They’re not weird to me, they’re what makes you, _you_. And I love you, Galran tendencies and all.”

Keith closes the distance between them and presses their lips together, reveling in the way his purrs transfer across his own mouth over to Shiro’s, traveling down their bodies in perfect tandem. Maybe this isn’t so bad. Other people might not understand, people like Lance, but Keith is surrounded by people who will help him. Kolivan has to have some advice on this, maybe some information to file away for the future. And even if he didn’t, Shiro has made it clear he is loved unconditionally.

Keith feels every bit of that promise. “I love you too, Takashi. Thank you.”

“Always, sunbeam.”

**Author's Note:**

> This author loves & appreciates comments and will respond once anonymity ends!


End file.
